The 10 Most Anticipated Sports Stories of Fall 2011

Will Boxing See a Revival or Go on the Decline?

Prediction: Boxing will see a revival in the coming months. With the rise of MMA, boxing's been on the decline for a number of years. On top of that, some feel that the events that transpired during Mayweather v. Ortiz made matters worse. But really, when's the last time you've seen boxing receive so much coverage? From Mayweather's ongoing beef with Larry Merchant and classic post-fight interview to the constant speculation over a Mayweather v. Pacquiao super fight; there has been plenty to talk about.

Besides that, there are three pretty decent fights on the horizon. First there's the conclusion of Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic featuring Andre Ward v. Carl Froch on October 29th. Then there's the long overdue third match between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12th. And finally, on December 3rd there's the much anticipated Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito rematch. Cap this off with Money May and Pacman finally agreeing to a 2012 bout by sometime in early December (this is gonna happen, right Floyd?) and the boxing revival will be complete.

Can the Eagles Live Up to the Hype?

Prediction: Nope. After all the hype, the Eagles have suddenly shown they're human. Mike Vick left Sunday night's game versus the Falcons due to a concussion, and word is, he's groggy and moving in slow motion. Definitely not a good look (unless you're Soulja Boy). With a shaky O-line and Vince Young's hamstring acting up, all the Birds have to lean on is third stringer Mike Kafka and their newly acquired secondary. Oh, and they still have Andy Reid making crunch time decisions, and we're pretty sure he's allergic to LeSean McCoy. The Skins are 2-0, and despite injuries, the Cowboys and Giants are looking competitive, too. All of a sudden the NFC East is wide open. #dontbelievethehype

Who Will Be this Year's Sleeper in the 2011 MLB Playoffs?

Prediction: The Milwaukee Brewers are our sleeper pick to make a run in this year's playoffs. What they lack in pitching (besides Zack Greinke and Yovani Gallardo), they have in the best 1-2 punch in the game i.e. Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun. And let's not forget about Tony Plush tickling balls down the line (II). They also have a ton of heart and have no problem getting into the other team's grill; we fucks with that. Ahhhh!

How Will the Pitt and Syracuse Move Affect College Sports?

Prediction: The Big East is dead. Syracuse and Pitt are defecting to the ACC to form a super conference beyond comprehension. There can easily be four ACC No. 1 seeds in the tourney and they're going after not only UConn, but Rutgers as well. The crazy part is it was a football move. SMH, who else could be behind such a grimey move? Nebraska left the Big 12 for the Big 10, TCU left Mountain West to join the Big East and Texas is going for the highest bidders. All these money hungry schools are maneuvering towards super conferences leaving mid-major leagues in the dust. With all this realignment going on, these kids still aren't getting a piece of the pie.

When Will Sidney Crosby Return to the NHL?

Prediction: Late October. The greatest hockey player on the planet is still feeling the effects of concussions, a huge problem in sports, especially in hockey and football. Sid the Kid has been out since January 5th, but has finally been cleared to practice and is listed as day-to-day. Although there's no timetable for his return, this is a great sign, not only for Sid's health, but for the league. The NHL has had its fair share of blunders over the years and is desperately trying to regain America's attention. With the NBA lockout situation looking bleak, this may be the NHL's best shot.

Is Peyton Manning's Career in Real Jeopardy?

Prediction: Yes. Peyton's (a.k.a. the man with the ridiculously long starting streak) career is definitely in jeopardy. His secret stem cell treatment didn't even work. Bartolo Colon miraculously came back to baseball after receiving a similar procedure done on his elbow and shoulder; Kobe also had a stem cell procedure done on his ailing knee. But Colts owner Jim Irsay has been anything but optimistic through this whole process, even saying his QB is going to be out for awhile and his career is in the twilight. Looks like Peyton's going to miss the rest of the season. There's always next year (and the possibility of landing Andrew Luck), Colts' fans. For now, have fun with Kerry Collins.

How Will the New NASCAR Point System Affect this Year's Sprint Cup Chase?

Prediction: Someone other than Jimmie Johnson will finally win. Dynasties in sports are cool, but it gets pretty boring after a while. Combine that with a sport where dudes drive in circles for hours, and you've got a recipe for boredom. Johnson is coming off his fifth consecutive championship but NASCAR's new point system seems like it'll at least keep things a bit more interesting till the Chase ends in late November. We're still not watching entire races, though. #justbeinghonest

Will Cam Newton Continue to Surprise the Doubters?

Prediction: Yes. They criticized him, said he didn't deserve to be picked first overall and that he wasn't accurate, apparently forgetting he'd led Auburn to the chip and won the Heisman. Shit, die-hard Notre Dame fans even said, "Why would the Panthers take him? They still have Jimmy Clausen." FOH. All he's done since then is throw for 400 yards in back-to-back games, including his last, which came against the defending champion Packers. So, prepare for Cam to ride this apeshit (no Rush Limbaugh) wave all the way to Rookie of the Year honors.

Which Athlete Is Most Likely to Have a Twitter Fail?

Prediction: Darnell Dockett. Our first choice was Gilbert Arenas, but he deleted his account. Blame that on the lockout or Orlando's PR department. Dockett is a perfect second option, though. He's funny, but is also brutally honest and tweets shit like this. Darnell has also tweeted questionable photos that we dare not link back to. Definitely one of the most entertaining NFL player on Twitter. Sorry, Ochocinco.